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Fit in 15
Editor's Notes
- Welcome to Fit-in 15 – a guide to starting a fitness habit. I’m … (your name and personal introduction).
- This public education program has been developed by the Canadian Chiropractic Association. Chiropractors are experts in muscle and joint health and champions of physical fitness. Your muscles and joints play an important part in your overall fitness – that’s why we’ve developed Fit-in 15 to help you find time to start a fitness habit. Please take notes if you wish. All of the Fit-in 15 tips and advice can be found on the Fit-in 15 website. I’ll have a hand-out for everyone at the end of the presentation.
- You may be thinking: But I am active. I’m always on my feet running around getting things done. I look forward to sitting down and resting. There’s a difference between being busy and focused physical activity. The stress of a busy day can lead to headaches, poor posture, tight muscles and low energy. On the other hand, focused physical activity relieves stress, improves muscle, heart and lung function, and helps clear your head – so you’re ready for another busy day!
- Fit-in 15 isn’t about how much you can bench press, or whether you can touch your toes. It’s about taking the first step to start a habit that will yield many benefits over time. The Fit-in 15 website has simple, low or no-cost, manageable ways for anyone – regardless of their current level of fitness – to spend 15 minutes a day on focused physical activity.
- Fit-in 15 is about starting a fitness habit with 15 minutes a day. Getting started is often the hardest part for many people. Trying to do too much right away can be overwhelming – that’s why Fit-in 15 is focused on getting a habit in place first. Fifteen minutes is a manageable amount of time that can be tucked into a busy day. One of the great things about fitting it in is that you’ll feel good about doing it! You don’t need expensive equipment or a gym membership to get started. All you need is yourself and 15 minutes.
- The benefits of being physically active are almost too numerous to mention. Physical activity improves everything from your endurance to your energy level and mood.
- Fit-in 15 is designed to let you build your own fifteen minutes doing the things that work best for you. There are three types of suggested activities: Activities to improve heart and lung function Activities to improve muscle strength Activities to improve your flexibility. Let’s look at each of them.
- Your heart and lungs work together to pump oxygenated blood throughout your entire body. When they are working well, you have more energy and endurance; you catch your breath more easily and you reduce your risk of cardio-vascular diseases. Walking is a simple, no-cost way to give your cardio-vascular system a boost – and give your leg muscles a work-out at the same time. You don’t need to join a running club or buy fancy shoes or running clothes. Simple walking will do the trick. The key is to do it everyday.
- If the weather is cool, wear several light layers of clothes. Your body will warm-up as you walk and you may want to remove a layer. Pleasant weather is best for walking but don’t let a chilly day or a light drizzle keep you indoors. Grab an umbrella or a hat and embrace the weather. Supportive footwear is important. You don’t want sore feet or a twisted ankle at the end of your walk. Bring along a bottle of water – even a short walk can make you thirsty. Boost your circulation by swinging your arms gently as you walk. It will also limber up your shoulders. Walk at as brisk a pace as is comfortable for you. The more quickly you walk, the great the cardio-vascular benefits.
- Strengthening exercises focus on specific muscles and give them a work-out to build muscle function. Strong abdominal and back muscles contribute to good posture. Arm and leg muscle strength is important to many everyday activities. When your muscles are in good shape everything from climbing the stairs to opening a jar of pickles is easier.
- Here are a few of the simple strength exercises you will find on the Fit-in 15 website. Don’t be concerned about how well you can do them or how many repetitions you can do. The important thing is to get started. Let’s do a few of them together. (Demonstrate exercises)
- Flexibility is about how well your muscles, joints and tendons move. When you are flexible you can turn your head with ease, bending and reaching are easier – you can even touch your toes! Poor flexibility causes you to feel stiff and can lead to injury if you push beyond your limits. Flexibility and muscle strength work together to let you do more – more easily.
- The Fit-in 15 web site provides suggestions for a variety of simple stretching exercises to improve your flexibility. Again – don’t worry about how well you are able to do them. Getting started is what matters. Let’s try some together. (Demonstrate stretches)
- Check out the suggestions on the Fit-in 15 website and pick the ones that work best for you. There are exercises and stretches for different parts of your body such as the shoulders, chest, arms, back, stomach and legs. Try a variety of them or work on the part of your body that matters most to you. Do the stretch or exercise to the best of your ability. You may not be able to bend or lean very far. You may only be able to repeat the exercise one or two times. That’s OK. Getting started is what matters and you may be surprised at how quickly you see improvement in your ability.
- Staying motivated can be difficult. Research studies tell us that there are a number of things you can do to help keep yourself on track. A distraction such as music or your favourite TV show will make your 15 minutes fly by. So put on the earphones, turn up the radio or position yourself in front of the TV when doing stretches and strength exercises. Having a buddy is also a good way to stay motivated. If you are going for a walk ask your partner or a friend to come along. If you have young children, they may enjoy following along with your stretches and strength exercises. Picking a specific time of day to Fit-in your 15 minutes is important. That way you can plan your other activities around your 15 minutes and have that time for yourself to look forward to. Try not to miss a day. Habits are formed through repetition! Lastly, vary your 15 minutes. When the weather is nice you may want to focus on walking. Try a variety of the strength and flexibility exercises to see what works best for you.
- Remember – Fit-in 15 is about starting a daily habit. Don’t let anything get in the way. Some research suggests that a new habit takes 3-4 weeks to become established. Fit-in your 15 minutes every day for a month and you may find yourself wondering how you ever got along without it. Health Canada’s guide to active living recommends 30 to 60 minutes of light to moderate physical activity 4 to 7 days a week for health benefits. Once you have your 15 minute habit in place, add 5 minutes then add five more. You will really start to feel the benefits.
- Chiropractors are well-trained to assess your strength and flexibility – and evaluate whether there are any red flags that would restrict your fitness activities. A chiropractor can conduct a fitness screening and establish some benchmarks that you can evaluate your progress against. If you experience a strain or sprain, chiropractors are educated to assess and diagnose the problem and provide appropriate advice and treatment
- I hope you will take a few minutes to visit the Fit-in 15 website. It has great advice for starting your 15 minute fitness habit. You can even register for motivational e-mails and set-up your own personalized fitness calendar. (Encourage questions and discussion)